Storms knocking down Nevada drought rating

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With a seventh major storm in progress. Western Nevada drought conditions in Douglas County are showing signs of improving, according to the U.S. Seasonal Outlook issued on Thursday.

December, January and February are typically the wettest months of the year. During last year's dry winter, almost no precipitation fell during December.

Wet weather through November and the first half of December has contributed to the snow pack above the Carson River Basin.

As of Sunday, the Carson River Basin was at 189 percent average for moisture content and 148 percent of average for total precipitation.

Ebbetts Pass at the top of the East Fork's basin has 16.1 inches of moisture locked in its snow pack, which is 156 percent of average for this time of year. Carson Pass has 17.5 inches of moisture, or 233 percent of average.

The Walker River basin is showing even better conditions with 194 percent of average moisture locked in its snowpack. Lake Tahoe is at 136 percent for the year, according to Natural Resource Conservation Service snow telemetry.

Carson Pass has shown six snow producing storms that left 52 inches of snow on the pass as of Thursday.